Profile:

Hip-hop recording artist Nas has sold over 25 million records worldwide over the course of his career thus far. Songs like “If I Ruled the World” and “N.Y. State of Mind” have helped him become a legend in the music industry.

Nas, whose given name is Nasir Jones, was first introduced to Bitcoin by his associates, venture capitalists Ben Horowitz and Chris Dixon. Since that time, Jones has opted to invest in the website Coinbase, a popular site where folks can purchase cryptocurrency. Moreover, the chart-topping musician also began purchasing bitcoin back in 2013.

While Jones is best known for his musical talents, he is also the founder of Queensbridge Venture Partners, a company which “invests in technology that transforms the way we live.” Queensbridge has invested in popular projects like the ride-share company Lyft.

Receiving an endorsement from a celebrity and businessman the caliber of Nasir Jones certainly helps boost cryptocurrency’s profile.

Quotable:

“I was really inspired by the boundaries people were pushing. [Bitcoin] seemed like something people bet against because the government doesn’t welcome with open arms what they don’t control. But it is such a big idea that it could never be controlled.”

Fun Fact:

The Source, a popular hip-hop magazine, ranked Nas at number 2 on their list of “Top 50 Lyricists of All Time” in 2012.

For more people helping progress adoption and application of blockchain technologies, check out other installments of our series Moving the Chain!